Game callers may be employed to attract wild animals toward the hunter's stand or blind, to frighten them in the direction of other hunters, or to stop their motion for an alert mode that provides a stable target. There are many devices in use today to influence such movements of wild game animals. Typically, such devices produce sound to attract the wild game that include deer, moose, elk, wild fowl and waterfowl, or even turkeys. Rattling horns, both large and small are commonly used to create sounds that will attract deer.
Large horns have one major advantage--volume. They can be heard for long distances, or in thick cover. However, they also have disadvantages, mostly in carrying them around. Horns can be hung on a thong looped around the hunter's neck, but large antlers clatter on everything else that is carried from binoculars to a rifle. While most hunters own a horn or game caller that simulates a particular wildlife call as it exists in nature, they are presented with the problem that they cannot sound the caller while simultaneously aiming to fire at the prey. As such, many hunters seek conversion of their present caller to a bellows operated grunter or game call that is easier to use, particularly for beginners.
Experienced hunters realize that in order to bag game such as trophy deer, and prior to counting the antler points, long hours of patiently awaiting unpredictable wanderings of the animal, in inclement weather, early and late hours of the day, perserverance through hunger and thirst without movement, may be required. Such efforts should not be lost because the caller made the deer skittish and frightened the animal out of range.
Deer can hear small horns at surprising distances. The hunter need only to "tickle" the small horns several times to attract deer. Some bow hunters rattle an aluminum arrow against the wooden riser of the bow to call in bucks. Still other hunters use "rattling bags," small bags full of bone chips or other hard material, that simulate the light ticking of tines. They can be worked with one hand, with very little movement.
Still, many other hunters prefer a grunt call for close work, partially because it provides another type of sound. Unlike a rattling bag, a small grunt call doesn't even need one hand to work, leaving both hands free for your rifle or bow. Many calls are mouth-operated by blowing into them. Some calls require hunters to grunt vocally with their throats as they blow into the caller.
Sometimes it helps to provide other sound effects. Some of these devices are treadle operated by stepping on them with ones foot.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,237,615, granted Dec. 9, 1980, P. A. Bracknell, discloses a sight mount for an archery bow embodying a bracket to be mounted upon a bow.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,451, granted Jul. 10, 1990, to Leady provides an adjustable game call device having a trombone-like tuning member in sliding contact with a single point on a reed that the user positions axially to change the effective length of the reed, thereby varying the pitch of the sounds made by the caller.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,396, granted Jan. 23, 1992, to P. Shepley, et al., teaches of an accessory mount for a removable rigid securement of an accessory to an archery bow. The accessory mount provides for the mounting of a quiver to store more arrows, an overdraw mechanism or a sight.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,419,304, granted May 30, 1995, to R. K. Pardue, discloses a mounting jig that is removable and coupleable to a hunting bow, adapted to receive a removable turkey caller.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,431,590, granted Jul. 11, 1995, to F. M. Abbas, discloses an apparatus for calling game animals when the user is hunting with an archery bow. A game attracting call is sounded when the user either draws or blows air through a conduit which is connected to the bow mounted game caller.
There are many problems associated with using the apparatus described. Many of the devices require two hands to operate the device; some only one hand. There are calls that must be held in the mouth which can cause fatigue to the hunter holding the device. A foot operated apparatus is awkward at best, therefore does not find much application in deer hunting. Others may emit undesirable sounds at inappropriate times, thereby "spooking" the prey. The nature of the hunt requires that a hunter will be able to silently operate the caller device even with a fully drawn bow or while a gun is being aimed and ready.
What is needed is a small, lightweight, reliably operated caller that can be mounted to a hunting weapon, such as to a hunting bow or firearm, to attract deer and other wild game. Since most hunters own a mouth-operated grunter or other caller device, a kit with a bellows attachable to a grunter for hands-free caller operation would enhance opportunities to bring down large prey like deer or moose as well as small prey such as pheasant, turkeys, ducks and the like. In this regard, this invention fulfills this need.